<p>Chess games come alive when a player sacrifices major pieces like the queen or rooks. These type of sacrifices can be categorised into calculative or intuitive. </p>.<p>Most often sacrifices are carefully calculated and result in gain of material or even the game within a few moves. However intuitive sacrifices need plenty of experience and are a delight as they virtually keep the suspense alive in the game.<br /><br />In the game below, Black embarks on an early queen sacrifice, which is more intuitive and thereafter it is a delight to go through the game. Worth noting is the superb co-ordination between Black’s forces.<br /><br />White: Guillermo Soppe (2448) – Black: Pablo Ricardi(2474)<br />Buenos Aires , 1999<br />King’s Indian-Classical<br />1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6<br />The King’s Indian defence which is one of the sharp defences against the queen’s Gambit<br />3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 Nbd7<br />If 6...e5 7.0–0 exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 c6 10.Kh1 Nbd7<br />7.0–0 e5 8.Rb1 c6 9.b4<br />White can play 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5<br />9. ..exd4. If 9...Re8 10.d5 c5 11.<br />10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Bg5<br />If 11.f3 a5 12.b5 c5 13.Nc2 Nb6 14.Bg5 Be6 15.Ne3 h6 16.Bh4 g5 17.Bf2 Nh5 18.Na4 Nxa4 19.Qxa4 Nf4 20.Qc2 Be5 led to a draw in a previously played game<br />11...h6 12.Bh4 Nb6<br />Better appears 12. ..Qb6. If 12...g5 13.Bg3 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Rxe4 15.Nf5 Qf6<br />13.Nb3<br />Most definitely the best move. Better is 13.Qd3 g5 14.Bg3 d5 15.exd5 (15.cxd5 cxd5 16.e5 Nfd7) 15...cxd5 16.c5 Ne4<br />Diagram 1<br />13...Nxe4<br />A very interesting decision by Black, to sacrifice the queen.<br />If 13...g5 14.Bg3 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Rxe4 16.c5 Nd5 17.Bf3 Nc3 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.cxd6 Rxb4 20.Rbe1 Bf5 with advantage for Black<br />14.Bxd8. White does not have any hesitation in accepting the queen<br />14. ..Nxc3 15.Qxd6 Nxe2+ 16.Kh1 Nxc4<br />Black nets two pieces and a pawn for the queen.<br />17.Qd3. If 17.Qc5 Be6 18.Be7 Nc3<br />17...Bf5. The combination continues and now Black catches the queen and rook on the same diagonal<br />18.Qxc4 Bxb1 19.Rxb1 Raxd8 20.g3<br />If [20.a3 Nc3 21.Rf1 Re4 22.Qc5 Rde8 (22...Nb5 23.Na5 Rd5 24.Qc2 Re7 25.Nc4) 23.g3 Nb5 also works in Black’s favour<br />20...Nc3 21.Rf1 Re4 22.Qc5 Nb5<br />Another good move by Black!<br />23.a4 Rd5. Black’s pieces enjoy good co-ordination<br />24.Qc2 Nc3 25.a5 a6<br />If 25...Rxb4 26.Re1 Rdb5<br />26.h4 h5 27.Kg2 Rxb4 28.Re1 Ra4<br />The best move here was 28...Rdb5<br />29.Re8+ Kh7 30.Nc1<br />If 30.Re7 Ra2 31.Qc1 Rf5 32.Qe1 (32.Nd2 Bd4 33.f3 Nd5) 32...Nd1<br />30...Raxa5 31.Re7 Rf5 32.Rxb7 Rab5 33.Ra7. If 33.Rd7 a5 34.Nd3 a4<br />33...Bd4 34.Rxa6 Rxf2+ 35.Qxf2 Bxf2<br />White has also lost his queen and now Black enjoys a dominant position with two extra pawns.<br />36.Kxf2 Rf5+ 37.Kg2 Nd1<br />Better is 37...c5<br />38.Rxc6 Ne3+ 39.Kg1 Rf3 40.Rc7<br />If 40.Kh2 Rf2+ 41.Kh3 Rf1<br />40...Kg7 41.Nd3 Ng4 42.Nf4 Rxg3+<br />White might as well resign now!<br />43.Kh1 Re3 44.Kg2 Re5 45.Ra7 Ne3+ 46.Kh3 Nf5 47.Ng2 Rb5 48.Rc7 Rb3+ 49.Kh2 Rf3 50.Ra7 Ne3 51.Ne1 Rf4 52.Kg3 Rg4+ 53.Kh3 Nf5 54.Ng2 Rg3+ 55.Kh2 Rf3 56.Rb7 Ne3 57.Ne1 Rf1 58.Nd3 Nf5 59.Kg2 Rd1 60.Ne5 Nxh4+ 61.Kf2 Kf6 62.Nxf7 Nf5 63.Nh8 Rd8 64.Rf7+ Kg5 65.Rh7 Nd6 66.Kg2 Rf8 67.Kg1 Rb8 68.Kg2 Rb7 69.Rxb7 Nxb7 0–1<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br />1.Qb8+ Kxb8 Forced move!<br />2.Rxd8 checkmate.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Chess games come alive when a player sacrifices major pieces like the queen or rooks. These type of sacrifices can be categorised into calculative or intuitive. </p>.<p>Most often sacrifices are carefully calculated and result in gain of material or even the game within a few moves. However intuitive sacrifices need plenty of experience and are a delight as they virtually keep the suspense alive in the game.<br /><br />In the game below, Black embarks on an early queen sacrifice, which is more intuitive and thereafter it is a delight to go through the game. Worth noting is the superb co-ordination between Black’s forces.<br /><br />White: Guillermo Soppe (2448) – Black: Pablo Ricardi(2474)<br />Buenos Aires , 1999<br />King’s Indian-Classical<br />1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6<br />The King’s Indian defence which is one of the sharp defences against the queen’s Gambit<br />3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 Nbd7<br />If 6...e5 7.0–0 exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 c6 10.Kh1 Nbd7<br />7.0–0 e5 8.Rb1 c6 9.b4<br />White can play 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5<br />9. ..exd4. If 9...Re8 10.d5 c5 11.<br />10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Bg5<br />If 11.f3 a5 12.b5 c5 13.Nc2 Nb6 14.Bg5 Be6 15.Ne3 h6 16.Bh4 g5 17.Bf2 Nh5 18.Na4 Nxa4 19.Qxa4 Nf4 20.Qc2 Be5 led to a draw in a previously played game<br />11...h6 12.Bh4 Nb6<br />Better appears 12. ..Qb6. If 12...g5 13.Bg3 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Rxe4 15.Nf5 Qf6<br />13.Nb3<br />Most definitely the best move. Better is 13.Qd3 g5 14.Bg3 d5 15.exd5 (15.cxd5 cxd5 16.e5 Nfd7) 15...cxd5 16.c5 Ne4<br />Diagram 1<br />13...Nxe4<br />A very interesting decision by Black, to sacrifice the queen.<br />If 13...g5 14.Bg3 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Rxe4 16.c5 Nd5 17.Bf3 Nc3 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.cxd6 Rxb4 20.Rbe1 Bf5 with advantage for Black<br />14.Bxd8. White does not have any hesitation in accepting the queen<br />14. ..Nxc3 15.Qxd6 Nxe2+ 16.Kh1 Nxc4<br />Black nets two pieces and a pawn for the queen.<br />17.Qd3. If 17.Qc5 Be6 18.Be7 Nc3<br />17...Bf5. The combination continues and now Black catches the queen and rook on the same diagonal<br />18.Qxc4 Bxb1 19.Rxb1 Raxd8 20.g3<br />If [20.a3 Nc3 21.Rf1 Re4 22.Qc5 Rde8 (22...Nb5 23.Na5 Rd5 24.Qc2 Re7 25.Nc4) 23.g3 Nb5 also works in Black’s favour<br />20...Nc3 21.Rf1 Re4 22.Qc5 Nb5<br />Another good move by Black!<br />23.a4 Rd5. Black’s pieces enjoy good co-ordination<br />24.Qc2 Nc3 25.a5 a6<br />If 25...Rxb4 26.Re1 Rdb5<br />26.h4 h5 27.Kg2 Rxb4 28.Re1 Ra4<br />The best move here was 28...Rdb5<br />29.Re8+ Kh7 30.Nc1<br />If 30.Re7 Ra2 31.Qc1 Rf5 32.Qe1 (32.Nd2 Bd4 33.f3 Nd5) 32...Nd1<br />30...Raxa5 31.Re7 Rf5 32.Rxb7 Rab5 33.Ra7. If 33.Rd7 a5 34.Nd3 a4<br />33...Bd4 34.Rxa6 Rxf2+ 35.Qxf2 Bxf2<br />White has also lost his queen and now Black enjoys a dominant position with two extra pawns.<br />36.Kxf2 Rf5+ 37.Kg2 Nd1<br />Better is 37...c5<br />38.Rxc6 Ne3+ 39.Kg1 Rf3 40.Rc7<br />If 40.Kh2 Rf2+ 41.Kh3 Rf1<br />40...Kg7 41.Nd3 Ng4 42.Nf4 Rxg3+<br />White might as well resign now!<br />43.Kh1 Re3 44.Kg2 Re5 45.Ra7 Ne3+ 46.Kh3 Nf5 47.Ng2 Rb5 48.Rc7 Rb3+ 49.Kh2 Rf3 50.Ra7 Ne3 51.Ne1 Rf4 52.Kg3 Rg4+ 53.Kh3 Nf5 54.Ng2 Rg3+ 55.Kh2 Rf3 56.Rb7 Ne3 57.Ne1 Rf1 58.Nd3 Nf5 59.Kg2 Rd1 60.Ne5 Nxh4+ 61.Kf2 Kf6 62.Nxf7 Nf5 63.Nh8 Rd8 64.Rf7+ Kg5 65.Rh7 Nd6 66.Kg2 Rf8 67.Kg1 Rb8 68.Kg2 Rb7 69.Rxb7 Nxb7 0–1<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br />1.Qb8+ Kxb8 Forced move!<br />2.Rxd8 checkmate.<br /><br /></p>
